314: Unplugged

By February Grace
80611.00
After Captain, It Followed Me Home (and before everything after)

-=Personal Quarters =-

Reece and Grace lay silently in the dark of their bedroom. Though neither was moving, both knew that the other was still awake.

*I can't sleep.* Bru thought.

*Me neither.*

*Exhausted but wired.* She concluded, summing up the same feeling running through Reece. The mission had left them with an excess of adrenaline, and nowhere to go with it.

"Lights, ten percent." Reece called at last, giving up on sleep for the time being. "What shall we do?"

"What do you mean what shall we do? It's oh dark in the morning. We're supposed to be on the bridge at eight and that's only because they're holding the night shift over longer to let us sleep in."

"Ooo. Sleeping in. Well, since you mention that we get to do that, I know a great way to burn off nervous energy. . ." Reece moved his lips against her ear and tugged gently, but February just sighed. "Okay, okay, so I knew that was pushing it. Let's go to the holodeck. Up for watching some fireworks over the Magic Kingdom?"

"The holodecks have been booked solid for days."

"Yeah, well, now hear this. Three pips, baby, I can shake some ensign-come-lately from the schedule, pronto. Just give me five minutes."

Bru frowned. "That hardly seems fair. Besides. . ." she sighed, "after all the technology I've seen the past day or so, I could really go without interacting with any recreationally for awhile."

"Yeah, I know what you mean," Reece thought how their usual pastimes of video games, holodeck adventures, and telenovela seemed unappealing now. He wondered how long it would stay that way. "Want to crochet for awhile? Or read? I can find something to do, get out of your hair if you want. . ."

*You know that I never want you out of my hair.* Bru thought.

Reece grinned..

Finally, he knew just what she needed.

He went to the closet and began to rifle around in the dark. A moment later, he tossed her a pair of the faded blue jeans she was so fond of, her favorite sweater, and her sneakers. "C'mon, Bru, put on those pink shoes."

"Where are we going?"

"For a walk in the flowers."

Bru smiled.

A short time later, they sat quietly in the arboretum, rocking on the swing under the gazebo. Bru had become very fond of this spot, and she understood well why it was the Captain's favorite place to visit when in the garden.

Resting her head against Reece's, Bru closed her eyes as the rumble of artificial thunder told them that the overnight irrigation cycle was about to start. It was not the real thing, but tonight, it was as close as they could get.

"What's that song?" Reece asked, as February dreamily hummed a melody to herself as they swung to and fro. "I swear, I've heard it before."

"Probably. Sometimes I sing it in the shower." Bru confessed. Dabin turned to kiss the top of her head as his feet pushed off on the gazebo floor, propelling the swing back and then forward again.

"I can't remember the name, maybe if I can think of the words..."
She tripped over the first few, until she finally remembered.

February could feel Dabin's thoughts drifting away from her as he was lulled by the sound of her voice. She shifted position, allowing her arm to enclose him and his head to rest against her shoulder now as he dreamed his way toward sleep.

To the sound of the rain and the sound of Dabin's breathing, February's eyes closed, and she too fell asleep surrounded by the scent of real flowers, and all the things that lived and breathed in the arboretum.

-=Hours later=-

The sound of footsteps approaching caused Bru to stir.

She thought it was odd, after all, to hear footsteps so clearly on the carpet of her own room. Perhaps. . .

*Oh, holy,* she startled, as she opened her eyes and saw Vedek Jariel smiling at her sweetly.

[[Good morning, little Angel,]] he signed, [[Do you want to wake Reece, or shall I?]]

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Lt. (sg) February Grace
Senior Flight Controller
USS Serendipity NCC-2012